1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an expandable container for storing objects. More specifically, this invention relates to a multi-component container in which multiple objects, such as standard compact disks and mini-compact disk ("mini-CD") cartridges, may be packaged for retail sale and/or used for storage by the consumer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional storage containers for compact disks or the like are often called jewel boxes. The jewel box is usually made of transparent plastic and is rectangular in shape. Most of these containers consist of at least a cover and a base tray and can store only one compact disk.
Storage containers for multiple standard compact disks have become more prominent in recent years. Such containers for standard compact disks include jewel boxes with base trays having several compartments, rectangular box-like containers with disk separation means, and components similar to those of a jewel box with hinged connections.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,189 (Kunimune et al), a multi-case with two or more concave portions formed on the cover and the base tray is described. Though this configuration allows a user to store several compact disks in one base tray, this design is limited by the number of concave portions which can be conveniently formed for the cover and base and seems to become cumbersome when more than four concave portions are formed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,732 (Snyman), U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,618 (Borgions), U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,345 (Drake et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,522 (Milovich) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,369 (Philosophe) storage containers utilizing rectangular box-like containers with partitions, drawers, and the like are described. In Snyman's patent, a box-like container with a ramp, several partitions, and several floor disk restraints is described. The container allows several disks to be stored on their edges, such that they rest vertically on the ramp. When a disk restraint is pressed, the disk corresponding to the disk restraint is allowed to roll out of the box. In Borgions patent, a box-like container with partitions for each disk is described, such that the disks are stacked above each other with their surfaces resting upon the partitions. In Drake's patent, single disk containers may be stored along tracks side by side within the box-like container. In Milovich's patent, the single disk containers are stored in drawers, which are stacked vertically and run along tracks within the box-like container. Finally, Philosophe's patent, uses drawers much like Milovich's container, but the drawers have special storage features built into them, such that the disk can be securely inserted directly into the drawer.
The most significant drawback of the box-like storage containers is that each is limited by the size in which they are designed and manufactured, such that another box or different storage container must be employed to store one more disk than each of these box-like containers can hold. In other words, these containers are not adaptable to the users ever-changing needs. Further, these box containers are highly inefficient in terms of space when only a few disks need to be stored. Also, both Snyman's & Drake's box-like containers seem to cause unnecessary increased stress to the disk, since the disk is resting on its outer edges. Further, Drake's and Milovich's box-like containers also seem to be unwieldy because the user must open the drawer and then open the single disk container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,888 (Nusselder) and a European Patent No. 420-350 (Brandt et al) describe modified base trays and covers hingedly connected to form a multiple disk storage container. As shown in FIG. 34, the container 10' described in the Nusselder patent holds up to four disks in two compartments. Appropriate seats for the disks are formed in a double base tray 60' and in two covers 30'. When the container 10' is closed, the disk seats are designed so that they keep the two disks in each compartment from touching each other. Though this container 10' is much more economical to manufacture than the multi-disk box-like containers described above, it is limited to storing four or fewer disks 14 and is inefficient when three or fewer disks are stored in the four disk containers 10'. Therefore, it is not readily and easily adaptable to the addition or subtraction of disks to the container 10'.
As shown in FIGS. 35 and 36, the containers 10' similar to that described in the Brandt patent appear to be more efficient than those described above. Such containers 10' are designed to allow the user to add or remove storage compartments as needed. The container 10' shown in FIG. 35, for example, is a zig-zag arrangement including covers 30' a double base tray 60' and intermediate carriers also known as dual trays 70'. One side of the dual tray 70' acts as a cover 30' and the other side acts as a base tray 50'. The dual trays 70' are hingedly connected to opposite edges of the double base tray 60' and the covers 30' are hingedly connected on opposite edges of the dual tray 70' such that a zig zag or accordion shape is created within the container 10'.
Referring to FIG. 36, two covers 30' may also be formed back-to-back to form a double cover 40' which may be hingedly connected to opposite ends of the double base tray 60' to form a zig zag configuration.
For both of the above multiple compartment containers, when the desired number of compartments have been formed, the two end compartments are enclosed with covers 30'. A disadvantage of the above zig zag configurations is that opening only a desired one of their compartments is somewhat inconvenient because of the alternate side hinging. Moreover, allowing the units to open up completely as illustrated in FIGS. 35 and 36 is believed to be undesirable.